Lots of news this month, with domestic goings-on stealing the headlines. We’ve had Frankland Estate, one of Australia’s undisputed kings of Riesling, unveil its regal 2016 releases from the Isolation Ridge and Poison Hill vineyards. From the same vintage and from another great Riesling family and vineyard – the Barrys of Florita fame – comes the excellent new clos Clare Riesling. Nick Farr’s been a busy boy, releasing the unbelievably good paean to patriarch, GC Chardonnay by Farr, as well as a super new Gamay under the Farr Rising label. From Tassie, biodynamic superstar Stefano Lubiana has released a pair of cracking vintage sparklers, and another of our favourite Steves – Mr Pannell of McLaren Vale – has put out a couple of gorgeous slurpers in the guise of the 2016 Montepulciano and GST. We’ve also announced the arrival in CellarHand portfolio of another Jimmy Watson-winner, Julian Langworthy, and the delightful Nocturne wines he makes with wife Alana from impeccable Margaret River vineyards. And if it’s beer you want, it’s beer we’ve got: Napoleone Brewers‘ stylish and refreshing Weissbier, out now.
On the imports front, we had a great time with Andreas Wickhoff MW of Bründlmayer recently, and have picked out three Grüner Veltliner wines that shone particularly brightly when he was here. You’ve heard about 2015 in Germany – now ‘s the time to check out the Grosses Gewächs and Auslese Riesling from Gunderloch‘s heavenly parcels on the Rothenberg vineyard in Nackenheim. That same vintage was equally kind to Beaujolais – and we recommend three cru wines from Piron that you should pounce on. Rounding out this month’s bulletin is the latest Sancerre from Roland Tissier, plus a lovely piece of writing by Max Allen on Emma Rice of English sparkling wine producer Hattingley Valley.
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